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POLITICO 44

Senate Republicans — weary of being flogged as bad on jobs after repeatedly delaying an unemployment benefits bill — turned that message on its head Wednesday morning, charging that Wall Street reform will lead to job losses.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) took a parting shot at the financial regulatory bill President Barack Obama will sign into law today, accusing Democrats of leveraging Main Street and American jobs to boost Wall Street.

"Citibank thinks it's great. Your local florist thinks it will undermine their business," McConnell said of the sweeping overhaul. "When you cut through all the talking points about what financial regulation will do, the practical, real-world effect of this bill in the near term will be job loss."

McConnell went on to bash the stimulus and health care bills as two other major reform efforts that have led to job losses, setting up a tense moment on the floor between him and his Democratic counterpart, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Reid went off the books to respond to McConnell, slamming the minority leader for launching what Reid called baseless attacks. Reid cited former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson's support of the Wall Street reform bill as an example of how the legislation has received bipartisan endorsements.

"Some believe that if you say something long enough, even though it's without any factual basis, that people start believing it," Reid said, with an air of frustration.

On the subject of the stimulus, for instance, a July report by the Council of Economic Advisors suggests that between 2.5 million and 3.6 million jobs have been created by the emergency spending package since it was signed into law.

But GOP aides were quick to hit Reid on a gaffe regarding the bailout of the American auto industry. In his impromptu floor remarks, Reid asked McConnell rhetorically what would have happened to car companies GM, Ford and Chrysler without the government's help.

"Isn't it a good thing today in America that we have an automobile manufacturing sector? If had been up to them, General Motors would be gone. If it were up to them, Ford Motor Company would probably be gone. Chrysler definitely would be gone," Reid said.

But Ford did not accept federal money.

"He’s going to have a long day," a GOP aide said of Reid. "He said Ford would’ve gone under if it weren’t for the actions Democrats took. Ford didn’t take a penny."

The floor fracas could have some greater significance for Wednesday's business, as Reid and McConnell are trying to negotiate a deal on ceding post-cloture time for the unemployment insurance package that cleared its major procedural hurdle Tuesday afternoon, passing cloture 60-40.

If a deal is not struck, the final vote on the $34 billion bill will be held about 10 p.m.

"The minority — which, it is worth repeating, has already lost the debate and the vote on this issue — has decided to squeeze out every last second of that time, until they have no more tools at their disposal, until they have no more procedural tricks up their sleeves, until they can no longer forcibly keep emergency unemployment checks out of the hands of the unemployed," Reid said.

...and Harry Reid is a wanker. Again, these are supposed to be the "elite intellects" saving us from ourselves. Anyone with a slight amount of intelligence and who has been paying attention would never say, even if flustered or angry, that Ford took bailout money. He's dumb and absolutely out of touch, period.

Dems are running out of arguments, and hopefully the race baiting has peaked. I can't wait to hear Obama debate during the 2012 campaign. "Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh....................................uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh.......................we inherited this mess and we've turned it around. Thank you dumb***es for your continued support and another four years of destroying your way of life."

That's what they always say. Any accountability of corporations costs jobs, they say; making polluting companies pay costs jobs; making companies upgrade their technology to reduce carbon emissions.cap-and-trade, costs jobs, yeah, yeah. We see what the GOP do when in office and how corrupt and exploitative they are. The net zero jobs posted during the eight-year, Bush-Cheney neo-con artists regime should speak volumes. Using the Reagan rule-of-thumb: were you better off at the start of the Bush term or at the end? Was the country better off before or after Bush? Only the most self-deluded and partisan can say America is better off. If you got in on the government gravytrain through a secret agency, contractor, are one of the 435-plus war-profiteers, or rich then you made out like a bandit. Everybody else lost out and the Bush/GOP legacy will last generations.

That's what they always say. Any accountability of corporations costs jobs, they say; making polluting companies pay costs jobs; making companies upgrade their technology to reduce carbon emissions.cap-and-trade, costs jobs, yeah, yeah. We see what the GOP do when in office and how corrupt and exploitative they are. The net zero jobs posted during the eight-year, Bush-Cheney neo-con artists regime should speak volumes. Using the Reagan rule-of-thumb: were you better off at the start of the Bush term or at the end? Was the country better off before or after Bush? Only the most self-deluded and partisan can say America is better off. If you got in on the government gravytrain through a secret agency, contractor, are one of the 435-plus war-profiteers, or rich then you made out like a bandit. Everybody else lost out and the Bush/GOP legacy will last generations.

The Democrats still have Cap & Trade to put the final nail in the economy...The Democrats have done everything possible to kill jobs....and The Big Eared CLOWN Obama says, "What iceberg, full speed ahead."

Sorry, McConnell, it was the lack of reform and accountability that led to the Wall St. greedfest meltdown. Spinster has a new definition in the GOP bizarro world-parallell universe. McConnell should consider retirement rather than waiting for Godot like Sen. Robert Byrd.

DID ANYONE, ANYONE READ THIS BILL. How Obama and Biden can stand infront of the american people with a straight face and talk about jobs they created is beyond me. For every job they have created they have taken 20 from american workers and sent them overseas. Damn I hate socialist. There is NO WAY anyone can call themselves socialist and be an american too.

When Castro came into power the Cuban people thought he was a patriot. They were wrong

When Hitler took power he preach hatred of jews an German people bought into it. They were wrong

When obama took power he has made it clear he is a racist and a socialist. Was he wrong? Until November 2012 only the shadow knows but think God we have a chance to take some of his socialist power in just over 100 days.

I miss the good old days when I voted Democrat and knew I was voting for the working man's party. Now its THE SOCIALIST DEMOCRATIC PARTY. I love my country and contistution and do not want it destroyed by SOCIALIST.

The republican’s arguments are all filled with contradictions. For example, on one hand, according to the republicans, there are plenty of jobs available to unemployed American citizens, but because of the unemployment insurance, the American citizens have become dependent upon the insurance and have become lazy. The American citizens would rather receive the unemployment benefits instead of working. Now, according to the republicans they are meeting with business leaders in order to create jobs for the American citizens. Which is it? Are there jobs available right now for all of the lazy American citizens who only would rather receive unemployment benefits? If there are jobs available for all of the lazy American citizens who would rather receive unemployment benefits instead of getting a job, why are the republicans meeting with business leaders to discuss CREATING JOBS and why do the republicans need this as their NEW AGENDA FOR AMERICANS? Think about it….The GOP are OUT come November!

I love all these comments made by Democrats/Liberals on this article. Not one of them gave us facts, only attacks. What I don't understand is why the WH keeps passing bills that kill jobs before an election. These guys are amateurs/ideologues. Boy will they get killed come November, unless they think the few diversity jobs created by the FINRA bill will be enough to satisfy the American people.

You know whats going to happen come November? Nothing! The same *** wipes will be elected in as before because people vote for those who's name look familiar! The mass public doesn't do any research on these canidates. Half of them have no idea how they stand, Thats why these yokes have been elected over and over again.

The Amerikan public is so infactuated by TV and the crap thats on it. That, as long as they have it, and can sit and watch this junk, let someone else fight the fight! The problems of the country don't concern them! Most of them have a good job. At least that's what they think. People in the media who voice their opinion, wrong as it is, is absorbed by these "sheep" and they start thinking that way too.

This country's people are so easy to brainwash. And the leaders are doing a great job. Tell them what we want them to hear over and over again so they start to believe it and give them TV shows like American Idol or Desperate Housewives so they can be brain dumb further.

Everyone knows this counrty is a mess. But the folks who have a voice are so underminded that no change will ever happen.. SORRY!

You know whats going to happen come November? Nothing! The same *** wipes will be elected in as before because people vote for those who's name look familiar! The mass public doesn't do any research on these canidates. Half of them have no idea how they stand, Thats why these yokes have been elected over and over again.

The Amerikan public is so infactuated by TV and the crap thats on it. That, as long as they have it, and can sit and watch this junk, let someone else fight the fight! The problems of the country don't concern them! Most of them have a good job. At least that's what they think. People in the media who voice their opinion, wrong as it is, is absorbed by these "sheep" and they start thinking that way too.

This country's people are so easy to brainwash. And the leaders are doing a great job. Tell them what we want them to hear over and over again so they start to believe it and give them TV shows like American Idol or Desperate Housewives so they can be brain dumb further.

Everyone knows this counrty is a mess. But the folks who have a voice are so underminded that no change will ever happen.. SORRY!